Lioli a step closer to title

Lioli have one hand on the title

Despite its scrappy nature, Lioli’s 1-0 win over Linare on Saturday may ultimately turn out to be the victory that wins the league for Tse Nala. Thanks to Saturday’s win at Setsoto Stadium, Lioli essentially need one more win to wrap up the championship.

Lioli top the Vodacom Premier League ahead of Bantu by three points, with two games to play. The crucial point, however, is Tse Nala have a nine-goal advantage in the goal difference column.

That means Bantu have to hope Lioli drop at least four points from the remaining six available, or the champions will have to pull off a goal-scoring miracle to retain their crown.

Lioli’s final two fixtures, unhelpfully, seem manageable enough.

Tse Nala’s next match, Likhopo, does figure to be a test, yes.

Likhopo are one of the league’s form sides having collected 21 points in the second half of the season to climb from relegation trouble to seventh-place. However, Likhopo haven’t beaten Lioli in the league since 2011.

And then, regardless of what happens against Likhopo, Lioli end their season against a Kick4Life side that has won only twice in 2015 and is sinking dangerously towards the bottom of the table.

There is still hope for Bantu, though.

As long as winning the title remains mathematically possible, the champions still have a chance and they showed that attitude in their valiant 2-1 win over LDF at Ratjomose on Saturday.  A Matšo Matebele’s hero once again was Litšepe Marabe who scored a brace to take his tally to a brilliant 21 league goals this season.

In terms of overtaking Lioli, Bantu’s end of the deal shouldn’t be a problem.

Their final games are against two struggling Leribe sides, Mphatlalatsane and Linare. In fact, the Mafeteng side may look at the weekend’s home game against Mphatlalatsane as an opportunity to make early in-roads into Lioli’s goal difference lead.

Bantu fans aren't giving up yet...

Such an attempt would not be surprising. Bantu have put up a gallant fight to retain their title after trailing Lioli by seven points at the halfway stage, but all they can do now is hope. As things stand, Tse Nala appear a step closer to regaining the title which would be Lioli’s third since 2009 and fourth overall in club history.

Matlama for top four?

It has been another wildly inconsistent season for Matlama. However Tse Putsoa could end it with a top four place after their 2-1 win over Likila United on Sunday. That win, coupled with LDF’s defeat to Bantu, means Matlama (40 points) are only two points adrift of fourth-placed LDF.

Relegation

The relegation has picture has suddenly cleared up, if only slightly.

Firstly, thanks to two successive wins, LMPS have all but secured their safety. The double dose of wins – the latest of which was Sunday’s 1-0 triumph over Kick4Life – means LMPS are now up to ninth-place on the table. Simunye have 26 points, five ahead of Mphatlalatsane who occupy the final relegation spot. It has been a fruitful final two months of the season for LMPS who have gone from cannon fodder to one of the league’s form teams. The police side has picked up 17 points from their last eight games, a run that has seen wins over Matlama, LDF and Linare.

LMPS’s form has, thus, placed the relegation spotlight firmly on Nyenye Rovers (24 points), Linare (24), Kick4Life (22) and Mphatlalatsane (21).

11th-placed Nyenye Rovers did themselves a huge favour with a 1-0 win over relegated Kick4Life on Sunday which moved them three points clear of the relegation zone. Rovers host LMPS next before travelling to Matlama and a point from either game may likely be enough to secure survival.

Comfortably in sixth at the turn of the year, Linare have hit a wretched run of form. Tse Tala, now 10th, haven’t won since beating Kick4Life on March 14 and suddenly find themselves in serious trouble. For their final two games Linare host LCS and Bantu. Trouble.

Kick4Life are in trouble

Kick4Life are the next candidate for the guillotine. They are a point above the drop zone and have only picked up seven points from the 11 games of the second round of the season. Kick4Life host Sundawana and then face Lioli to end the season. More trouble.

However, things are looking most troublesome for Mphatlalatsane. Linaleli face Bantu next and their star may have burned out by the time they meet Likila United on the final day of the season.

Weekend Results

Saturday

Lioli 1-0 LDF

LDF 1-2 Bantu

Sunday

Mphatlalatsane 0-0 LCS

Qoaling Highlanders 0-1 Nyenye Rovers

LMPS 1-0 Kick4Life

Matlama 2-1 Likila United

Sundawana 1-1 Likhopo

Vodacom Premier League Table

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Lioli	24	17	6	1	45	7	38	57
2	Bantu	24	16	6	2	43	14	29	54
3	LCS	24	12	8	4	29	14	15	44
4	LDF	24	12	6	6	25	21	4	42
5	Matlama	24	10	19	4	28	16	12	40
6	Likila United	24	9	8	7	30	24	6	35
7	Likhopo	24	9	8	7	30	25	5	35
8	Sundawana	24	7	5	12	23	31	-8	26
9	LMPS	24	7	5	12	17	30	-13	26
10	Linare	24	7	4	13	15	23	-8	24
11	Nyenye Rovers	24	6	6	12	17	33	-16	24
12	Kick4Life	24	6	4	14	25	30	-5	22
13	Mphatlalatsane	24	4	9	11	15	31	-16	21
R	Qoaling Highlanders	24	1	6	15	16	59	-43	9

Remaining Vodacom Premier League Fixtures

Saturday, April 18

Nyenye Rovers v LMPS	15:00	St Monica’s
Qoaling Highlanders v Matlama	15:00	Qoaling
Kick4Life v Sundawana	15:00	Old Europa
Likila v LDF	15:00	Butha-Buthe
Likhopo v Lioli	15:00	LCS
Bantu v Mphatlalatsane	15:00	Mafeteng
Linare v LCS	15:00	Hlotse

Sunday, April 26

Linare v Bantu	15:00	Hlotse
Sundawana v LMPS	15:00	Butha-Buthe
LCS v Likhopo	15:00	LCS
LDF v Qoaling Highlanders	15:00	Ratjomose
Lioli v Kick4Life	15:00	Setsoto Stadium
Mphatlalatsane v Likila	15:00	St Monica’s
Matlama v Nyenye Rovers	15:00	Pitso Ground